Shoe heater



April 23, 1929 w. H. BAYNARD SHOE HEATER Filed nec. 12. 1921 .NME

Sti

Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

Winnaar n. Barrieren, or eerNeY, Messner-insectes, Assenon To Henny nnen- 4Winn, on encontrar, ivrflsseermsnwrs.

SHOE HEATER.

Application filed December 12, 1921. Serial No. 521,759.

in the n'ianutacture ot shoes it is customary to incorporate therein stillening members which may be softened by the application o'li heat, this sottening being effected so that the shoe may be properly shaped to the last. A preliminary soitteiiin` operation is commonly effected beitore the shoe is pulled over and a subsequent softening operation alter the shoe is pulled and betere it lasted. the same time that the stiltener is softened it is usual to subject the leather to a moist heat to temper it and render it more workable.

ln my application Serial No. 370,384, tiled April 1, 1920, is disclosed and claimed the idea ot utilizing` a dry heat ttor softening` the stillener and a comparatively cool vapor lor tempering the leather. The present inven tion relates to n'xechanism et the same type as disclosed. in the above mentioned amilieation and has been particularly designed ilor use on shoes utter they have been pulled over.

One feature of this invention relates to a construction by which the dry heat is conducted to the stitlener While the vapor is conducted to the upper leather, the dry heat and vapor not being allowed to mingle un tilr after they have acted on the shoe.

A further feature relates to a construction by which only small amount oit Water is subA jccted to the vaporiaer at one time so that the heat required is reduced and production ot vapor in large excess oit actual reuuirements .is not ell'eeted. The proportions or dry heat and vapor are also so regulateifl that the escape oit visible moisture is ln'actically eliminated so 'that no stack tor recci vi ng the vapor to prevent excess moisture in the ivorl; room is necessary, This effects economy in construction and inristallation and makes possible installation Where otherwise it `would be impracticable due vto local conditions.

A. further feature relates to kautomaticallj.' acting means to supply Water as required to the vaporizer.

lVliere a yshoeheater is designed to treat a plurality oi shoes at the same time, the slices being;w placed on and removed lrom the several treating positions in rotation so lthat each may remain a sutlicient time to be properly softened without delaying` the operator, some dil'liculty has been experienced in ascerf taining which ot the several shoes to be removed at a particular time.

This invention., therefore, also provides mechanism tor indicating the particular shoe to be removed so that the sequence oit rotation may be readily i'olloWed.

f Further valuable features and advantageous details and combinations ol parts will appear trom a description ot an embodiment shown in the accomprlnying;` difiuvings Ain which i "y Figure 1 is a liront elevation ot a heater.

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 ol? .FigHr ure 1.

Figure 3 is a. section on line 3 3 oit Figure 2.

Figure 4l .is a section on line t-t of Figure 2. f

l* igure 5 .is a sectional detail showing the heating un it support.

Figure (3 is an rend view of a unit-retaining plug.

fifigure is a diagram ot the Wiring: Referringr to the drawings, at 1 is indicated a pan-shaped base tor supporting the heater having posts 2 upstz'inding ytroni the base portion 3 thereof for this purpose. Carried on this base is a vaporizer member comprisingy ginal flange 12 at its upper odge for supporting a 'Water reservoir 'comprising a substantially circular tank or bottle 13. This bottle is siipported in inverted position so that. its neck 14 extends downwardly Within the receptacle 7. Within this neck is positioned an. inwardly opening valve 15 which is normally held seat-cd against the lower 'lace ot a cover .16 closing the bottle neck by 'means o t a spring;` 17 surrounding` the stem ot the valve and bearing` against a collar 1S xed thereto. lVhen in the inverted position shown, the valve held unseated by means ot' ascrew 19 threaded in a boss 20 projecting'[upwardly :trom thebase ot' the receptacle 4" 'and engac' ing' the end ot the stem. On removaloif the bottle 13 the valve closes and prevents the escape ot Water. It is evident that this conu struction furnishes an automatic vity feed to the receptacle?. At 21 is shown a pipe leading' through the base ot the receptacle 7 and upwardly into the cylindrical chamber' llO 5 by which means water is ted troni the receptacle 7 thereto.

The portion 6 is provided with a series ot openings er ports in its upper tace vith tendinfr in scallo Dcd torniation the length et Y D A w the meinbe 23, and delining, together with the walls 26, 2T, and 29, a series ot vapor expansion chambers which communicate n through the ports 22 with the portion G. The

side walls 26 are provided with ports' 3l through which vapor may pass trom thercxpansion chanibers into the receptacles For iorniing the vapor the tubular portion 5 has mounted therein a pipe which at its ends forms a water tight jointwith the ends ol" the portion 5. rlhis pipe is ot sutlicient size to nearly lill the portion 5 forming therewith a narrow annular chan'iber extending the length ol the vaporiL/.cr Positioned within this tube is a heating element ot any suitable description. its shown more particularly in Figure 5 this may con'iprise an electric heating element hz ving a central stem to which are lined radiating lins or plates 3G. F or the purpose ot supporting this unit in position, a plug 37 (see Figures 5 and having a tlange 38 engaging the inner tace ot the pipe is slotted at 39 trein its outer edge to a central opening Lll) through which the stein 35 may pass. Between the opening lll) and the outer end ot the slot 3%) is t rined a perforation Lll in which may be placed a tapered pin llllhen the parts are in position as shown in Figure 5, this pin may be driven inwardly to spread the p'ug in either direction from the slot 3Q and thus'wcdge it into tight engagement with the pipe. The moist heat-l lor tempering the shoe upper is produced by this heater.

For producing the dry heat tor sottening the stitlener aV heating element 350 ot any suitable*descriptioin but herein shown as ot the saine torni as that used within the pipeBQ, is mounted lengthwise ot the ineinber 23 Ventending beneaththe open lower ends ot the receptacle Q5, the side walls ot which may be cut away as shown at #le in Figure 3 to permit this element to pass.

For the purpose ot conducting current to these elements their ends may be connected lov means ot conducting bars to which may be attached the conductor wires 46. One ot these wires extends within a hoxshaped casing 47 at one end ot the apparatus, through a cover plate'LlS thereon, and into a socket lli) of a lainp 50 and to a switch ot any suitable description shown at 5l. The other wire passes troni the opposite ends ot the heating units through a pipe 52 opening at one end in the casing 4J and at the other end in a casing 53 which houses the opposite ends ot the units. From the pipe 52 this wire extends through the cover d8 to the light socketr-l9 and toV the switch 5l, the light 50 heilig shunted across the lines as shown in Figure 7.

The receptacles are partially closed at their iforward side by means ot a cover plate l) through which are substantially seniicircular openings (il (see Figure l) through which the toe ot the pulled over shoe may be inserted as shown in Figure 3. The shoe is sup ported in position by means oi a suitable rack ot piping or other construction G3 which may be made tast at its inner end in the base meinbcr as shown in Figure 3. T he toe et the shoe is then positioned substantially between the ports 3l in the side walls 2G so that the vapor directed thereagainst. In order that the dry heat troni the heating element 350 may be directed to act on the stillener, each receptacle 25 has positioned therein somewhat below the sole ot the shoe a baille plate G5 having a marginal flange 6G by which it may be made tast to the inner walls ot the receptacle and having a` V shaped opening (Si therein to confine the escape ot the heated air substantially centrally ot the shoe sole so that it may inipinge thereon and be deflected thereby laterally toward the inner tace oit theY pulled over upper where it may act on the stitlener.

lt will thus be seen that the vapor, which is cooled by expanding in the exiansion chambers back ol'v each receptacle, pi ves into Contact with the leather ot the upper without having been affected to any extent by the dry heat arising troni the element 350 and that the dry'heat is directed to act on the stitlencr without being laden with moisture treni the n.poi. lilith this construction the leather and the Sti'llener are both acted on by the t pe ot heat most suitable. After having acted on the u Y fr. however,y the dry heat and the vapor mingle within the receptacle around the shoe andin the proportion or1 parts shown it is found that the moisture is so nearly absorbed by the Vdry heated air that there is practically no visible escape ot moisture 'from the receptacles. For this reason it has been found unnecessary to provide this apparatus with a stack ot any description tor conducting away the excess moisture as has heretofore been necessary in most cases in l order to prevent an excessive amount. ot humidity in the work rooni which is unhealthtui to the operator and rust-producing and otherwise damaging. For this reason the present apparatus may be installed where it wouldbe inconvenient or impossible to con-V necta stack and without causing annoyance kthe shoe` at Y).

or damage trom the escape of vapor. F urthermore the small Water space surrounding the pipe 32causes a limited amount oi' Water to be subjected to vaporization at one time i.

so that vapor may be produced quickly when starting'the ap iaratus with cold Water 'with-y description such as steam pipes, gas, etc.y

might be employed, if desired. y

ln order that the operator `may be able to tell at a. glance which shoe has been longest i treated and therefore,which should be the next removed, the rack (S8, as shown, has fixed thereto below and ijiarallel with its shoe supporting bar 70 a rod 7l on ivhich is slidable an indicatorI such as a Washer 72. This Washer may be moved along` the rod 7l to position it below the slice next to be removed Whenever a shoe is removed or placed Ain position. For example, assun'iing that there are four shoe-receiving receptacles or treating stations a, o, o, Z (Fig. l), the rotational sequence may be, a, 7), o, (Z, a, L, o, (Z, etc. On starting operations the receptacles are `iillcd in this order, the Washer 72 being placed below the shoe at (a. The shoe at a is then the lirst to be removed and either when this shoe is removed or when an untreated shoe is placed at a, the washer is moved beneath Sin'iilarly when. the shoe is removed i'i'om or an untreated one placed in that position the Washer is' moved under the shoe at c. ln the sa me manner the Washer is moved in succession 'under the shoe at (Z, then back to the shoe at a and so on, clearly indicating to the ope ator at all times the proper shoe next to be removed.

Having thus described an embodiment of this invention it should be evident that many ii'iodilications and changes might be made therein Without departing from its spirit or scope as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a shoe heater, means tor producing dry heat, means 'for producing vapor simultaneously with the production of dry heat, means ilor supporting` a partly linished shoe having a stiitl'ener therein, means ilordirecting the dry heat against said sti llener,'and means 'for directing the vapor against the shoe upper. y

2. In a shoe heater, a receptacle open at one side for the insertion oli the toe of a lasted shoe, means :tor conducting vapor through the sides of said receptacle into contact with the outside of the shoe, and means for sin'iultaneously conducting dry hot air into said receptacle into contact with the inner side ol the pulled upper.

3. In a heater, means 'lor simultaneously directing moist vapor against one portion ot' an article and dry heat against another portion, and means Ytor proven substantial mingling oi the dryheat and moisture until atter contact 'with said article.

d. lira heater, means ior simultaneously di recting vapor and dry heat into a receptacle against an article, and vmeans -lor prcventing substantial mingling oi said dry heat and vapor until after they have acted outhe article. f

5. In a shoe heater, means for directing moisture to 'the upper oit the toe of a pulled shoe .having i ,L "leiier therein, and means ior direi-ting dry heat againi-it the central portion olt the lorepart oi the sole ol the shoe' to be deflected laterally thereby and heat the toe stillener. n

G. ln heater, a receptacle having side and lower Walls and an opening at one side 'ior the recept ion or an art iele to be heated,'means 'l'or intrmlucing a. vapor :into said receptacle through the side Walls thereof, and vmeans Jfor introdiicing dry heat through al portion only o'l its lower wall. f

7. In a heater, a receptacle having an opening therein, in ians :tor directing vapor against one portion of an article in said receptacle, and means for simultaneously directing dry heated air against another part of the article in such proportion relative to the vapor that after acting on the article and then mingling with the vapor there is substantially no escape ot' visible vapor lrom said opening.

S. ln a heater, means or vaporizing Water, means :for cooling said vapor, a receptacle having an opening therein, means tor directing the cooled vapor against an article in said receptacle, means 'for heating air, and means for directing the heated air directly against the article insaid receptacle simultaneously with the vapor and in such proportion relative to the vapor lthat there isfsubstaiitially no escape ot visible vapor from said opening.

9. ln a shoe heater, a trough, a heating -member nearly filling said trough, means for conducting Water to said ytrough about said member to bevaporized by heat therefrom, an expansion. chamber for receiving and cooling the vapor from said trough, an open sided receptacle 'for receiving a portion of a shoe, and means tor conducting vapor from said expz'nision chamber into said receptacle to di reet contact With the sides ol. said shoe portion. f

10. In a shoe heater, a trough,v a heating member nearly filling said trough, means for conduct-ing Water to said trough about said member to be vaporized by heat therefrom, an expansion chamber for receiving and cooling the vapor from said trough, an open sided receptacle for receiving a portion of a. shoe, means tor conducting vaporrom said expansion chamber into said receptacle into lthe insertion of an article to be treated, the

Vonsaid trough-shaped member and having a series of receptacles spaced therealong, each of said receptacles being open on one Side for side walls ot' said receptacles having ports therethrough, a serres of chambers each having communication with one of said series of openings andL the ports of kone or said re-V ceptacles, a. plate having a` Substantially central opening partly closing oft .the lower portion or eaeh receptacle beneath said article, a heatingA element extending through said reeeptaeles,beneath said plates, and a heating element extending through said pipe.

l2. A device of the class described, coinprisinga shoe heater for siinultaneoush7 heating-'a' plurality of shoes, a bar on which the shoes are supported, a rod arranged parallel to Said bar, and an indicator' slidable along said rod.

i3. The process which comprises continuously operating more than two treating stations, placing a shoe at each of said stat-ions in a definite order of sequence, replacing the treated shoes one by one with untreated shoes, and at the time et each replacement moving an indicator to the succeedingstat-ion of the sequence to indicate the next shoe to be replaced whereby all the shoes may receive treatn'ient for substantially the same time.

In testimony whereof I have alixed my signature.

WILLIAM H. BA'YNARD. 

